Because the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is so far from Vegas, you might think it is not possible to book a tour from there. The West Rim is much closer and you can cover the 120 miles by plane in thirty minutes. A chopper can make the trip in less than 60 minutes. That's why the West Rim is the more popular choice when departing from Vegas, because it is so much closer.

Something many people don't know is the West Rim is situated on the Hualapai Indian Reservation. Both rims are worth visiting, but many people consider the official Grand Canyon to be the region of the South Rim because it is especially beautiful.

So if you want to visit the South Rim from Vegas, you are in luck because you can choose a bus or airplane tour. South Rim plane tours are a lot of fun and they are much more convenient than traveling all that distance by bus. You'll see a lot more of the National Park from the air than would be possible from the ground. So if you are planning to leave from Vegas, choosing a plane tour is probably the ideal choice.

It's because the South Rim is over 275 miles away. Helicopters flying out of Vegas can't make it there and back as it's outside their range. And South Rim bus tours are popular, but it's a 5-hour drive from Vegas to the main gates at Tusayan, Arizona. In fact, you should allow 15 hours to complete a bus tour to the South Rim from Las Vegas. If you decide to on it, you'll need to set aside an entire day and evening.

But Las Vegas airplane tours make the same trip in less than 60 minutes. That's a pretty big difference. You'll arrive rested, relaxed and eager to go instead of tired from a 5-hour bus ride. The bus tours have to leave at 7:00 in the morning and plane tours depart at various times during the day.

South Rim airplane tours fly out of different Las Vegas-area airfields, but flights starting in Boulder City or Henderson will be a little cheaper. You will see some spectacular sights from the plane including the amazing Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, which happens to be the largest manmade reservoir in the entire country. Your airplane will follow the Colorado River as it snakes its way towards Tusayan, which is at an elevation of 6000 feet. Tusayan is the tiny home of the Grand Canyon National Park Airport that is just outside the main gates to the park.

The scenery along the route is absolutely amazing. You will fly over a large part of the canyon on your way to the Grand Canyon National Airport. When you arrive at the canyon, you will get off the plane and on a bus for a 2-hour tour of the park. Stops include highlights like Grand Canyon Village, Yavapai Point and Mather Point.

An upgraded version of this Las Vegas plane tour adds an exciting, rim-to-rim chopper ride. You should choose this upgrade if at all possible. It takes you over the Kaibab National Forest, the North Rim, and the Dragoon Corridor which is the deepest and widest part of the canyon. You'll also have some terrific opportunities for aerial photos of Grand Canyon Village. Naturally, the bus tour is included too.

Returning to Vegas by plane is so much better than sitting through a five-hour bus ride. The flight is quick and easy. Overall, this particular Las Vegas airplane tour takes 9 hours. It includes free shuttle pickup and drop-off at the Strip hotels, lunch, and the services of a professional guide.

Taking an airplane tour out of Las Vegas is a fun and memorable experience. You certainly get your money's worth.